No, It Is Not Acceptable to Reserve a Parking Slot By Standing In It

Private car owners know this too well: you drive to the mall on a weekend, and while getting there isn't as challenging as taking the MRT or the bus, finding a parking space is. Most malls are packed on weekends, since it is usually when family members have the time to bond together.

In an Instagram poll created by TopGear Philippines, they asked their followers whether or not it is acceptable to 'reserve' a parking slot by just standing in it. There were a total of 4,196 respondents.

Care to guess how many tapped yes? A couple of dozen maybe? At the risk of sounding like a clickbait article, the answer might surprise you.

A total of 526 people (or 12.5%) voted in the affirmative. This means over half a thousand individuals think it's okay to save a parking slot by acting as a human pylon. Tsk, tsk.

So again, let us reiterate: "Basic parking etiquette dictates that in the absence of a formal reservation with parking management (in which case a slot will be properly marked or blocked by a pylon or sign), free slots are on a first-come, first-served basis. This is regardless of whether it's in a public or private area." And again, while there may not be a law specifically making it illegal in the Philippines to reserve a parking slot by standing on the space, there are laws prohibiting the practice in other countries.

So, do you still think it's alright to save a parking slot by standing in it? 

This story originally appeared on Topgear.com.ph.

* Minor edits have been made by the Smartparenting.com.ph editors.